


What if I patched up your wounds, and we were both guys?

by CyberPhoenix, Slink_a_Dink



Category: Henry Stickmin Series (Video Games)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, RP log, TERRENCE IS NICE, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, just gay ppl, our terrence now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27000835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CyberPhoenix/pseuds/CyberPhoenix, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slink_a_Dink/pseuds/Slink_a_Dink
Summary: [RP Log]After a heist gone wrong, Randy and Terrence need to deal with the aftermath-- and the mess that is their feelings.
Relationships: Randy Radman/Terrence Suave
Comments: 9
Kudos: 36





	What if I patched up your wounds, and we were both guys?

To say the heist was unsuccessful was an understatement. It was a failure, guards had swarmed the location almost instantly, they were lucky all of them had escaped, even if it meant nothing was retrieved. They had been on a losing streak, and this was only adding to it.

Randy had made sure everyone else had got out before him, despite his importance as a leader, he wanted them all back to safety. Staying behind meant he had been in danger, and perhaps a little too close to it.

But now he was sitting in a getaway helicopter driven by a toppat member. Other than them, he was alone with his right-hand, Terrence. 

Anxiety and adrenaline still coursed through his system as his breathing was still rather quick from everything, he was trying to ‘chillax’ so to speak, but he just couldn’t.   
Perhaps it wasn’t helped by the fact that his lower right leg and boot were a bit damp with blood. He knew he got shot at, and something had hit him at one point, but the adrenaline in the moment kept him going. 

As well he didn’t give an indication of being hit, for the morale of the team. The leader getting hurt would horrify and disorientate the crew even more, so he didn’t cause a scene.

Besides he would be fine, he could handle it himself when they arrived, probably, maybe, with a bit of help. It wasn’t too much blood anyways, or he thought, he didn’t look. It didn’t hurt incredibly, but that was probably because of adrenaline.   
It’d be fine, but he couldn’t help feeling incredibly nervous. He was glad he wore shades, helped cover his nervous expression. As well he had his overcoat draped over his legs to cover it. But the tapping of his ok foot and fidgeting with his glasses still gave off a very nervous energy. For once he was rather quiet, not making some witty comment directed at Terrence.

While one of them was quiet, the same could not be said for the other. Terrence paced back and forth, grabbing at his hat and hair in his frustration, ignoring aches and pains as he ranted about everything that had gone wrong, and everything that, in all respects, shouldn't have. 

"Did we get the wrong information? Is there a snitch in our ranks? Did we get the timing off?" He was muttering, searching for something to blame for their failure. He was stressed, that much was clear, but his thoughts weren't completely on the heist-- a loss was a loss, those could be accepted, could be gone over, could be redone. Having something turn out this badly, though... 

His attention shifted back to Randy, and the uncharacteristic silence. It wasn't common that his superior would let him go off like this, not without some interjection-- a joke about how serious he was being, how funny something was back while everything was going wrong, how things would be better next time. Terrence quickly sat back down, leveling his gaze at the leader. 

"You're doing okay?" It was a question, yes, but Terrence seemed to always ask these things in such a way that it almost seemed like a demand. A plea for things to be alright, for at least something to be under control and safe and fine. That being said-- he already had a hunch that this wouldn't be one of those times.

Randy had been vaguely listening to Terrence, he did have similar questions about how things went south so quickly. He assumed it was in the planning, to be frank he wasn’t the best at the timing when it came to them. As well he had too much trust in his clan to assume any of them were snitches.

Even if he had a faulty plan, they could rework it, especially since everyone got out okay, as well he had fun in the moment. It could’ve been much worse— They’d try again another time.

His thoughts were interrupted when Terrence joined him however, he quickly looked over at him, confused, and when the question hit, he gave a smile, forced, but there. “Ah yeah I’m doin’ fine— Still in a weird vibe from everything y’know— Not the most... Epic heist we had—“ He gave a forced laugh as he fixed his shades once more. “But at least we and the clan can chillax when were back at the ship— Y’know?” He kept saying y’know, a go-to word for him. He was still rather frazzled and didn’t know how to explain himself, if he had to. He hoped Terrence would know, he always did get him, well not always, but for the most part, it’s why they worked together so well.

"Of course, with everyone safely out there should be no problem-- uh, chillaxing?" Terrence still stumbled over the slang that Randy used, but he was trying to integrate it into his own vocabulary-- if at least so it didn't sound so odd to hear in serious contexts. "With everything as it is, we should be able to recover fairly easily from today's missteps." 

"That being said, if you need to hold off on anything major, if you need to rest or anything-- I know you said you're fine, and I will trust you on that, but... if you're not, that's quite alright to admit." He didn't want to pressure Randy into saying something he didn't want to, but he wanted to leave the option out there. "It's just the two of us, the pilot's not going to tell, we can make up a story if you're a bit more out of it after what happened." He sighed, pressing the palm of a hand to his face to wipe away some blood that had dripped down from a small gash near his eye.

Terrence was one with a fiery temper, but that didn't mean he didn't know how to keep his cool under pressure. Around Randy, however, it was a bit of another story-- his mind filled with swirling emotions as he tried to figure out what he was thinking and what he wanted to say. Randy was an enigma of a man, and under circumstances of meeting as strangers, Terrence might think the other to be eccentric in such a way that he'd be in no shape to lead. 

But those circumstances weren't now. Randy may have been dancing to his own tune, literally as well as figuratively, but there was something to those movements that just seemed... exciting, in a way Terrence had never seen before. Being able to work alongside him was always interesting, with never a dull moment. 

So now, sitting here, with the air more awkward and pained than anything else, it felt decidedly like something more was up.

Randy’s brows lowered as Terrence went over how he could tell him something or needed a break. Did he know or figure it out? If he did Randy was surprised he did so, he didn’t think he was acting that poorly. Perhaps Terrence knew him a bit too well, he always did confide in him about a majority of things when it came to heists. 

“I’m good bro I promise—!” He stated, his voice a bit shaky, which he did not intend to happen. He kept trying to hide his wound from Terrence as he didn’t want him to worry; it’d be easier if he acted like things had gone smoother than they had. Or he figured, it was just annoying when people fussed over him, as the leader, he did have a sense of importance to him, but he always found it awkward, he was just one of the dudes!

“I think you should worry about you anyways, you’ve got blood on you, nasty, lol.” He murmured, pushing the attention towards Terrence instead, while trying to stay lighthearted. “You should get that stuff sorted y’know, gotta be one of those kits around.”

"Tch--" Terrence sighed, getting up to go look for a first aid kit. "Yeah, yeah, can't afford to get blood on any of your neon nonsense, I know--" He held his tongue on prying further into Randy's condition-- it wasn't really his place to keep pressing, even if he was still worried. Finding a kit and opening it up, he got to bandaging himself up as needed, sitting back and cleaning the small wounds he'd sustained. It wasn't that much, all things considered, and things could've gone a lot worse.

"Since I've got this open anyways, do you need anything patched up?" He found himself asking, letting his worries get the better of him. It wasn't that he didn't trust Randy-- far from it, Radman was one of the few people who he felt he could fully trust-- but more that he still had that gut feeling that there was something he was missing. He didn't want to push the boundary, but this was just... it was normal, right?

It was normal to want to make sure someone was okay after a rough situation, to want to protect them from things getting worse, to want to stay by their side through thick and thin, rain and shine, richer or poorer, in sickness and in heal-- **oh no.**

“You get it-!” He gave a laugh as Terrence left to get the kit. He watched him quietly patch up his wounds, but when the question was asked again he waved a hand. 

“Dude, I’m totally fine- You don’t gotta worry about me!” He was getting better at masking his still rather shaky breath as he once again fixed his shades. he didn’t like Terrence worrying about him. Right-hands are meant to do that and he appreciated the thought but he didn’t like him worried, especially over him.

"Totally fine." He echoed, sighing. "Okay." He leaned back, falling silent as he closed up the first aid kit and tucked it back where it belonged, his mind racing as he tried to go over the nonsense he was thinking and feeling. It was hard, trying to put together how he felt, what he wanted to see happen, what he wanted at all-- and what he was going to do about it.

.....To be honest, right now, he didn't want to think about it. Period. 

Terrence tried to relax and just empty his mind, unsure of what else to say to fill the silence as they neared their destination. There was still a lot that had to be done, all things considered, especially with trying to manage how the rest of the clan was dealing with the... situation, for lack of a better word. They really needed to figure out how to get things back in order, get some more funds, all that-- but that could wait. For now, it was probably better to just cut their losses as they were, and just... take a moment to recuperate. 

"...so, excited to get back to the ship?" He finally spoke up, looking over to Randy.

“Ehhhhhh sorta—? It’s gonna be a little rough- ‘Cause people are probably gonna be a bit frantic and stuff— Gotta make sure everyone’s vibes are good again—“ He gave a small sigh, not that he didn’t enjoy raising the morale of the place, but because he wasn’t in a state to do so, but he’d make it work, somehow.

“Maybe we could have a smallish party, gather people- make an announcement once we’ve decided on something- and then have a fun party, y’know.” He shrugged, he often did that after something went poorly, wanting to try and get rid of any negativity felt, even if it took money. 

There was always the hope that the next heist would pay for the parties, keyword: Hope.

"Any party of yours oughta be enough to lighten the mood, you sure do know how to throw them..." He hummed, resting his chin in one hand, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "I'm definitely gonna need a smoke when we get back. It's been a long day." He found himself slipping up a little in how he spoke, taking on a casual tone that he rarely ever dipped into.

“Hmm yeah, we all need to chill one way or another.” Randy nodded as the blades of the helicopter began to halt, landing on a helipad connected to the airship. The pilot didn’t even bother giving a ‘We’re here’, they had already been making their way out once everything was settled. 

“Finally, took long enough-!” Randy preferred the helicopter compared to an escape pod, he went to stand. He liked talking to Terrence; so much so he had started ignoring the pain in his lower leg, so much so that he stood up right away, not realizing how much pain would shoot up his leg. 

Oh shit oh fuck. 

Adrenaline had definitely stopped numbing the pain and his breathing quickened from the pain. He had sucked in a lot of air through his teeth, he wouldn’t be able to play this one off. He just stood there for a moment before sitting back down ungraciously, feeling lightheaded. “I’m fine—!” He quickly stated so Terrence couldn’t say anything.  
He was not fine.

"You're fine?" He echoed, eyes narrowed but brows scrunching in obvious concern. "You really don't sound it." Terrence sighed, trying to keep his voice from wavering. Of course there was something he'd missed, an injury or something that Randy was too prideful, or perhaps just too stubborn to admit to. He understood the feeling, understood the need to look strong for the sake of others, but this surely had to be too much.

"Let's get you inside, and then you can deal with whatever you-- don't want to tell me about, I guess." A twinge of bitterness sunk at the bottom of those words, but it was more out of frustration for Randy insisting he was fine when he obviously was not than any actual resentment. "I won't ask questions if you don't want me to, but I will help you inside. Can you walk if you lean on me?"

Randy moved his shades, they rested on his head as he took a moment; putting his face into his hands for a second before looking over at Terrence, pain much more clear on his face as his eyes weren’t hidden. “I’ll be fine.” His stubbornness prevailed as he stood up again, pressing a hand on the side of the helicopter, and keeping weight off his right leg. 

“Besides people might get all worried and stuff if they see me limping beside you-“ Which implies he won’t if he goes alone. Despite his words, he made no attempts to walk on his own. “I justt don’t need the clan worrying about me, and that includes yyou, we’ve had a stressful night already!” His voice was a bit shaky again, standing up clearly putting strain on him, but he tried to keep a positive tone to his words.

Terrence exhaled sharply through his nose, trying to keep his cool. Randy was very much not okay, and was also refusing help on the basis of people might be worried. Okay. He could deal with this. They could get through this. He just needed a plan. A story, a cover, and...

"That's it, I'm picking you up."

With that sentence, he gauged what side was least fragile-- he could tell by how Randy was leaning-- and moved over to carefully but quickly lift the other man into his arms, maneuvering as such not only so he could carry him steadily, but also to be careful of his injuries. It was fairly similar to a bridal carry but... we don't have to read into that.

Not taking a no for an answer, Terrence explained his plan. "Cover story is that you got drunk on the ride back. Too drunk to walk, so that's why I've got you. See? Perfectly respectable reason that you can't do this on your own. Still keeps your party-dawg reputation intact, too."

“Wh—“ Randy was surprised at his offer, well less of an offer more of an ‘I am doing this.’ of carrying him. As Terrence swept him off his feet quite literally, he wasn’t quite sure what to do or say, he was just a bit surprised, to say the least. But he wasn’t going against this idea at all, in fact, he thought it was a great one.

He wrapped an arm around him for support, as he listened to Terrence explain his idea. Randy chuckled listening to him. “Y’know yeah-! That works!” He was amused by the idea, but it could work if someone asked.

Holding Randy steady, Terrence let himself give a small smile as he headed to step out of the helicopter. The next few minutes seemed to pass by way too fast as he hurried into the airship, giving his manufactured explanation to anyone who looked too close, and shooting stern glares to any who tried to pry in further. 

His mind was still on Randy as he walked, trying to figure out what happened, trying to rack his brain to see if he remembered anything that might've gotten him hurt. They'd gotten separated when Randy had stayed behind to make sure everyone else was safe-- it must've been then. Damn it all, he should have been there. Randy was plenty capable, but Terrence couldn't help but worry, more than ever.

Randy had been rather quiet, once again having that uncharacteristic silence to him even when people asked, but he was just too distracted to talk. His mind kept going back to his injury, yes, but he couldn’t stop looking at Terrence’s face as he carried him. He kept focusing on him and only him.

Perhaps he was woozy from his injury, but he found himself leaning against Terrence, trying to stay as close as possible. He comfortable in his grasp, feeling incredibly safe in his arms, the nervousness caused by his wound washed away. 

“Yoo Terry... We there yet?” Randy finally spoke up, his voice also no longer shakey. He couldn’t even remember where they were headed, did they even decide? Well, it didn’t really matter, he just hoped it would take a while.

"Almost there--" Terrence hissed under his breath, maneuvering through the halls as he made his way to the leader's chambers, shutting the doors behind them and gently lowering Randy down onto the couch. He let his arms linger for a moment before letting go of him, already missing the feeling, the warmth of the other's body--

Hold on. That was definitely bloodstains smeared across the front of his coat. His gaze zeroed back in on Randy, down to his leg, noticing where the blood had come from, involuntarily grimacing-- it wasn't the sight of blood that made him wince, he'd seen more than enough to shake any of those reactions off, but there was something more to now that seemed to catch him off guard.

Already stepping back and taking off his coat-- he'd need to get that washed at some point, discreetly-- Terrence turned away from Randy. "I'm going to get some medical supplies. Wait here."

Randy also hesitated to let go of Terrence, as he laid down on the couch, his gaze continued to be on the other man. Giving a nod in response to Terrence.

Watching him leave, he sat up, he had certainly calmed down a lot with Terrence around, and he’d be back shortly, so he wasn’t feeling anxious about his whole injury, but he felt like he should address it, especially since he was alone now, no pilot to overhear and no Terrence to worry.

That’s the thing about Terrence; he cared about him. There was always a strange feeling Randy felt when Terrence looked out for him or made sure he was alright, but he always tried to push it away, he wasn’t sure how to describe the feeling. But even when Terrence was worried about him, he felt it, he always felt awkward and unsure, even when he knew he needed help, he played it off for the sake of the clan not worrying and Terrence not worrying, since he didn’t want to feel... Off. 

Randy’s thoughts kept going as he raised his bloody pant leg to check the injury. A rather large gash was present, a bullet had definitely done damage to the side of his lower right leg, but hadn’t exactly entered his body. He grimaced, both at the blood, and the thought of the downtime it’d take for him to recover, heists and parties would both be difficult if his leg hurt to walk on due to a gash. They really needed a good heist, and that seemed improbable with a bad leg. 

Randy sat quietly, waiting for Terrence’s return, but also not, he’d probably be worried about him, especially seeing the damage. It was weird having someone care about him a lot. Like, a lot.

Hurrying to the infirmary to grab a medical kit, Terrence found his mind drifting, as if he was zoning out a little. He nodded briefly to those he passed by, but didn't linger any longer than he had to. He had to say, he understood Randy's motivations-- wanting to keep things quiet so no one worried, and all that. The clan was important to the both of them, for obvious reasons-- you didn't get in this kinda position if you didn't care about the people you were working with at least a little, and even acknowledging the exceptions... 

Randy really wasn't the best leader, in all respects, if you looked at it objectively. They'd had loss after loss, and things had been getting... pretty bad, honestly. Yet that didn't mean that he didn't deserve to still be where he was. People liked him, people enjoyed what he did, and... it helped that he was nice. Always seemed to light up a room, literally and figuratively. That bright smile, the way he seemed to be always ready to party, always shouldering that burden to staying positive in the face of-- well, in the face of injury, in this case. 

It also was impressive how well his parties went, even nowadays when funds had been getting tight. The nights went long, and the energies stayed up. Things could be dire, things could suck, they could be on the verge of losing it all... but Randy still managed to make things good. The days seemed to pass by like slow-moving waters, a small babbling brook running past an old neighborhood park, full of life even in humbler standings. 

Terrence admired how well Randy managed to somehow hold it all together. He couldn't imagine how he'd act in the same circumstances-- and hoped he'd never have to, at least not for a long time. Randy was just... interesting-- no, more than that. He was special, and... special to him, too.

He should be getting back with that medical kit now. He'd thought about it all too much.

Randy felt himself wanting Terrence to come back quickly, even if it meant being fussed over. It was quiet here, and Randy wasn’t a fan of the quiet, he wished to talk to someone, he wanted to talk to Terrence. He always enjoyed his company, honestly appointing him as a right hand was an excuse to be around him more, while it was probably a bad decision on his end to choose like that, he can’t regret the choice in the slightest.

Perhaps they weren’t the best at what they did, seeing their losing streak, and while that was a cause for concern, he always felt like he’d be alright. Even now, where this injury was probably going to be a hit to the clan as a whole, he was sure it’d work out fine. He always felt confident with Terrence by his side, and perhaps that’s what mattered most in a right-hand. At the end of the day, he’d have him.

Randy had laid back down, staring up at the ceiling he waited impatiently for Terrence’s return, he had put his shades and top hat aside, his hair falling off to the side as the scar around his left eye was exposed. He gave a long sigh, he wanted Terrence to return so he could stop worrying about his leg, getting it patched up meant he could really relax for the night, and get back on track tomorrow if it’s not too bad.

Stepping back into the leader's chambers, Terrence snapped out of whatever trance he'd been in, zeroing in on Randy and the now visible wound across his leg. Without meaning to, he inhaled sharply at the sight, the slight gasp breaking the silence.

"It-- it could've been worse." He found himself saying as he crossed back over to where Randy was laying, medical kit in hand as he kneeled down beside him. "I hope you weren't planning on dealing with this by yourself, if I hadn't been around--" There was a stern, disapproving tone to his voice as he said that, but it was laced with concern.

He opened up the kit, trying to focus on inspecting the gash and not on everything else he wanted to think about. He didn't have much in the way of medical training, exactly, but he had common sense, and that would have to do for now until Randy decided he was okay with someone else taking a look. "We'll need to clean it, first off..." Terrence muttered, before hesitating. "You're fine with me doing this, right?" The answer probably wasn't going to change his mind, but... he still would rather ask.

Randy looked over at Terrence, frowning a bit. “I mean that was sorta the plan, stan.” He gave a shrug as he sat up, Terrence’s tone didn’t seem to bother him, it made sense for him to be a little disapproving. It was probably foolish of him to try and handle things by himself, but no one wants to bring down everyone’s vibes.

“Huh? Yeah of course dude—“ Randy responded to Terrence’s question without hesitation, trusting him. If anyone was going to patch up his wound (that wasn’t a doctor), he trusted Terrence the most to do it.

That response surprised him-- he'd half expected Randy to brush off his help-- but Terrence nodded, giving a slight nod as he started to get out what was probably decent enough to clean and wrap the wound? Some rubbing alcohol, some fresh bandages, uhh... shit, yeah, he really only had a vague idea of what he was doing. He frowned, but shrugged it off. 

Randy was okay with him being here, with him doing this, and well, he didn't exactly want to let him down by suddenly saying he couldn't do something as theoretically simple as patching up a gash like that. But first, it had to be clean, right-- stop infection risks and all that? So he got an alcohol pad out, and was about to press it to Randy's leg, when he hesitated. 

"Hey, so this is gonna sting a bit." He relayed, before offering up his free hand to the other. "Squeeze my hand if you're gonna make a racket otherwise, we don't want anyone hearing you yell through the wall or something."

“I’m sure it’ll be fine—“ Randy insisted giving a laugh, despite his words however, he moved one of his hands to grasp Terrence’s hand, he realized squeezing his fingers together would probably hurt him, so he moved to gently intertwine their fingers. It’d be better for both of them.

“Like I’m sure It’ll be all chill, just wanna do this just in case it’s unepic.” Randy explained quickly as he was unnecessarily explaining his actions, they already had an explanation. What didn’t have an explanation was the butterflies in his stomach— No it did, he was nervous about the wound. 

He didn't expect how warm Randy's hands would be, feeling the soft skin as their fingers intertwined, the slight imperfections of calluses and little nicks of the longer fingers brushing against the back of his hand with the other's grip. 

Terrence tried not to dwell on the thoughts as he got to meticulously cleaning the wound, trying to be gentle where it mattered, focusing on what he had to do. Randy would be fine, everything would be fine, this was just another day, like any other.

No, he did not need to reevaluate his own thoughts about the situation, or think about how much this had scared him, down to his very core-- the thought of Randy being hurt worse than this making him shiver with what could only really be described as deep worry-- and he shouldn't think about how much he wanted to continue holding onto Randy's hand.

Terrence wasn't one for being all... touchy-feely and all that. Just hadn't really been something he'd allowed for himself, or anything he'd ever thought he needed. But this, this... it felt... right, almost. In a way he couldn't put into words. And part of him absolutely dreaded it.

Randy’s mind had also begun to drift, enjoying the closeness between the two, but he was quickly brought back as the pad damp with rubbing alcohol pressed against his gash. 

He sucked in air through clenched teeth as he began to grip Terrence’s hand. It was taking everything in him to not instinctively move his leg away as the sudden shot of pain up his body made him feel lightheaded. He was trying to stay still, to make it easier for Terrence to clean the wound.

Randy moved forward, closing his eyes as he rested his head against Terrence’s shoulder, trying to get the light-headed feeling to pass, as well to help get through the stinging feeling, which was still quite strong, maybe this wasn’t the best idea for a gash.

“Y-You done yet Terry—?” Randy asked, voiced muffled and shakey, still feeling off-kilter. He had stopped squeezing his hand after the initial shock, but he still held it quite firmly, it only felt natural to hold his hand.

The wound was mostly cleaned up by now, this would be fine, probably-- but huh, Randy was so close, like this... he hesitated to pull his hand away, justifying it in his head that if it still stung, it wouldn't be fair of him to move just yet. 

"Yeah, I'm done with that." He responded, giving a slight sigh. "I'll need my other hand back so I can wrap it up, but if you're still hurtin', we can wait a moment." 

How dearly Terrence wanted to hold on just a bit longer, to think about the now, and not about the future. To ignore any doubts and worries and just be honest-- honest to the world, to the one he cared for, and even more to himself. But... that wasn't something that could work out, surely. So he denied it, and so he pushed it down... but for now, he could indulge in the fleeting warmth of being beside someone he loved.

The lightheaded feeling was still bothering him, so he kept close to Terrence. Continuing to rest against his shoulder, and keeping his eyes closed, it was comforting to him. As well, it was helping him deal with the stinging sensation that was beginning to fizzle out.

Hearing Terrence speak, he decided it would be best to get it patched up right away, so he moved his hand away, slowly letting go of Terrence’s hand. But he moved to wrap his arms around Terrence’s waist, it made it easier to rest his head, as well he moved his leg to be more comfortable. 

“Sorry bro— Feelin’ lightheaded- Like big time...” He explained, which was part of the reason he was hugging him, but also because Terrence made him feel safe, but he shouldn’t say that, that’s weird.

Terrence moved slowly towards getting out some bandages for the wound-- it was a little awkward to maneuver, especially with Randy wrapped around him like this, but he didn't mind taking things slow, for his sake. Or for the fact that Randy was still embracing him, even with a reasonable explanation and all.

He dressed and wrapped the gash, trying to keep it tight enough so nothing would slip, but loose enough to not cut off blood flow, grateful that he at least had something else to focus on. He stayed silent as he worked, knowing all he could do in this situation was try to do what he could to help, and... nothing more. If Randy needed anything else, any comfort, any companionship, any... anything-- he could ask for it. Terrence didn't need to offer, didn't need to sound all pushy and overbearing.

Maybe he wasn't taking this 'feelings' thing that well just yet.

Randy stayed rather quiet as he let Terrence work, he moved slightly and opened his eyes to watch him work, but also just to look over at him. “Thanks bro... For the help—“ Randy spoke slowly, after everything and calming down, he seemed tired, his usual cheeriness gone as everything had exhausted him of his energy. 

He leaned back however, slowly letting go of his embrace, he figured Terrence had something to do, or just didn’t want to stick around for too long, as well he didn’t feel as lightheaded, so he wasn’t going to keep him from leaving. He stayed quite close to him, however. “Sorry if I freaked you out or something-“ He gave a tired laugh. “I’ll try not to have a fail moment like that again.”

Making sure everything looked as good as it was gonna get, at least for now, Terrence leaned back and went to stand up, closing up the medical kit and tucking it under one arm. "It's... no issue, honestly-- and it's fine. You were doing what you thought was best, and everyone else got out safe... just..." He was speaking slowly, still trying to wade against the current of emotions. 

_'Just stay safe, for my sake.' 'Just be careful, I worry about you.' 'Just know that I care about you a lot, and I don't know what I'd do if you got seriously hurt or worse.' 'Just-_

"Just rest easy tonight, alright?"

Terrence was a coward, in some respects, or so it seemed.

Randy was reassured by Terrence’s words, giving a nod to take it easy, but as Terrence stood, he felt... Well, he wasn’t sure what he felt, disappointed maybe? It was disappointing that he was leaving. He looked over at Terrence, not sure if he wanted him to go. 

“Wait Terr- Are you like— busy with anything..?” He asked, he assumed that he didn’t want him to leave since he was injured. He didn’t know how bad it would be, and so he didn’t want to be alone to deal with it, I mean, Terrence proved he could carry Randy around, so that was nice.

"Busy?" He echoed softly, before shaking his head. "While there's a lot I could be doing, you're my top priority." Terrence paused for only a split-second, realizing how that might come off, before elaborating, "-I'm your right hand, aren't I?" 

So much was left unsaid-- how strongly he wanted to stay by Randy's side, not just now at this low point, but forever. No matter what the world threw at them, they could face it together, right? They could be okay. Randy was just... like that. Nothing ever really kept him down, not for long. Surely this would be more of the same, and surely... even through all these tough times, they'd make it out on the other side better than ever.

Randy gave Terrence hope, in all honesty. A hope for a still unpromised future, and the care to cherish the present while it was here.

Randy was glad to hear Terrence could make time for him, well the whole point about him being his right-hand made sense, he was grateful he picked him as his right-hand. “Ah— Coolio... I was just wondering if you wouldn’t mind like... Just sticking around y’know. I’d get super bored if I was couch-bound alone, and I really like talkin’ to ya.” He gave a small laugh, trying to explain how he just wanted Terrence there. Even without an answer, he moved over, there was plenty of room for Terrence to take a seat.

"You like talking to me?" Terrence tried not to make a face, keeping his voice even as to mask his surprise. "Would've thought I'd bore you half to death sooner--" He joked, before slowly moving to sit down on the couch. "I guess I can stay a bit longer, if it's for your sake..." He mumbled the last part, finding his voice was starting to fail him. What else was there to say-- he was already trying to think of an interesting topic, or something he could talk about-- but all his mind was on was that small comment. Randy liked talking to him. That was... good to hear, really.

“What, only a bit of time?” Randy spoke lightheartedly as he moved, sitting closer to Terrence. He wouldn’t be surprised if Terrence did have to leave to do stuff, he himself would be also, if he didn’t have a recovering leg. But for now, they could just take this moment to hang out.

“But yeah I do man, you’re always cool to talk to, you like, totally balance me out. Y’know? Sometimes when I’m with my own crowd we just sorta— Have everything in common? Or I dunno, you just start saying the same shit all the time. But with you, you get me while also being super interesting y’know? And so I like talkin’ to you, even if it’s about boring things like work and stuff, you think differently and that’s cool.” Randy had begun to ramble, it’s something that he did frequently around Terrence, because he liked talking to him. He would listen to his nonsense, and in return he’d listen to his. The man in rainbows and the man in greyscale may have had their differences, but they complemented each other.

“Speaking of like... Thinking— How are you doing man? Like- You doing good? ‘Cause all of this was probably really stressful and unepic.” He gave a light shrug. “Sorry if I totally worried you.”

"How am I doing? I'm... fine, I suppose-- you did worry me, don't get me wrong, but... it's fine, honestly." He sighed, already thinking about what Randy had just said. He liked the difference between them, the... way that they managed to click despite seeming to be near opposites at a first glance. Which, while maybe true on a superficial level, they shared important values-- the care for the clan, for each other, and--

"I'm glad things weren't worse." He let himself admit. "I know I've said this time and time already, but..." He was slowing in his speech, thinking and overthinking his words as he tried to sort through his feelings. "-you're important. To the clan, to me, to all of that. I'm glad that you did what you did for the sake of the others, and that it all turned out fine, but that doesn't mean you didn't catch me a little off-guard with that stunt. I'm not about to tell you to not follow your heart, or your gut feeling, or-- whatever neon-colored organ that tells you what to do--" He paused, expression softening.

"Just know you can rely on me, no matter what."

A large smile made its way onto Randy’s face, his expression warm. There was a slight tinge to his face as he tried to source where this overjoyed feeling was coming from. “If you keep saying stuff like ‘you mean a lot to me’, you’re gonna inflate my ego or something-“ He gave a light laugh. He really did care a lot about him, and for some reason that made him really happy, he couldn’t pinpoint why, because he didn’t try- But he was in a good mood. 

“But yeah? I guess I can’t stop ya from worrying... But it’s always good to know you’re there for me— It means a lot y’know...” He explained, rubbing the back of his neck as he didn’t make eye contact. “I know I’m the leader but you can like... Totally rely on me too, for whatever.”

"Your ego's big enough without my help-- you'll pop like a balloon if it gets any bigger--" He joked, trying to relax despite the shaky feeling he was getting. He fidgeted slightly with his tie, looking down at the floor. "It's... good to hear I can rely on you too. I trust you a lot, and... well. I'd hope I've done enough to earn that trust in return. I'm not perfect, by any means, but I do what I can."

Terrence heaved a sigh, his throat dry as he finally decided on something.  
"Having said that... if I were to say something crazy, something stupid, something-- something wild, outrageous, however it can be described... can you, er..." His voice wavered slightly, despite himself. He wanted so badly to stay strong, to pretend this wasn't getting to him, to sound confident as always, but here, right now... he was vulnerable.

"--promise me things can stay alright?"

Randy could hear the change in Terrence voice, his expression changing to one of concern as Terrence spoke. He wasn’t really sure what he was going on about, but it sounded serious and important, he rarely, if ever saw Terrence like... This. He seemed so nervous and vulnerable, it was a rare site to see from the man, he was glad Terrence trusted him enough to show this side of him, but he wanted to help however he could. So he moved his hand, pressing it atop of Terrence’s, trying to reassure him.

“Yeah- You can tell me anything... I’m sure it’ll be all cool.” He gave a warm smile, he wasn’t really sure what Terrence was worried about or what he was going to say, but he was sure it’d be fine anyways, if they ever had a disagreement in the past, they always worked it out.

The slight gesture and Randy's words gave Terrence some relief from the thoughts that were currently overwhelming him. It felt like standing at the edge of a tall drop, where he wasn't sure what would await him at the bottom. A thousand scenarios ran through his head, despite the reassurance, from sensible to outright impossible, all tangling together in a mess of what-ifs.

He took a slow, shaky breath in, and slowly let it out.

He opened his mouth to speak, and hesitated. He had so much he wanted to say, from everything Randy meant to him, to everything he wanted to stay beside him for, to everything that now meant, to everything he hoped for, to-- to simply the fact that he honestly didn't know how the hell to manage these feelings. 

Love was weird like that, how it turned you into both a fool and a philosopher, the keeper of your own secrets while still wanting to show everything you are to that one special person, someone that no longer was fine just being one but rather... wanted to be together.

It was only a moment, but it felt like an eternity. Might as well keep it short and simple, and just... spit it out.

"I think I'm in love with you."

Oh.  
Oh...  
 _Oh..._

Randy wasn’t quite sure how to respond, out of everything Terrence could’ve said, he didn’t expect that. He really didn’t expect that.   
His heart fluttered as he struggled to make a coherent sentence in his mind as the words kept repeating.

He attempted to make sense of his rushing thoughts, his eyes refused to meet Terrence’s as he thought about him.   
Terrence was in love with him. He didn’t know how to grasp that, it seemed impossible. Out of everyone, Terrence caught feelings for him.

And he was... Happy.

That was it. He kept missing the mark, he kept asking questions, but never thought about the answer to why he liked being around Terrence, why Terrence made him feel safe, he never answered why he loved talking to Terrence, why he wanted him to stay, and why he was so glad Terrence cared about him.

He reciprocated his feelings.

There was a deep blush on his face as his surprise faded and was replaced with an overjoyed expression, he gave a laugh as he didn’t know how else to express the euphoria that coursed through his system. He pushed back his hair, while he wasn’t silent, he was without words, forgetting to say something back to Terrence. He was just so, so thrilled.

“I— I love you too Terrence...” He finally spoke, a soft laugh trailing his words as he finally made eye contact with him, staring at him. Perhaps it was him in this state of joy talking, but he thought Terrence was the most gorgeous man alive.

He loved him, too. 

Terrence just sat there, feeling tears prick at the corners of his eyes. Men like him didn't cry, or so he'd been told, but... he was so overwhelmed with emotion-- with gratitude, with elation, with an honest hope so fueled by love, a genuine love he'd never imagined he'd ever have-- he couldn't help it. To be honest? He finally didn't care, either. Not about how he might look, or come off, or sound, or anything like that. 

Everything felt so finally right, as if it all clicked into place after an eternity of loneliness. Randy was here, Randy was okay-- and Randy loved him back! Somehow, despite everything he was, Randy loved him. Terrence let out a choked laugh, rubbing one eye with his hand as the other moved to take one of Randy's in his own. 

This was... new. This feeling of belonging, more than to just a group, but alongside someone-- someone who he'd give everything for, if he had to. Randy, who was his other half, the light to his darkness, if one was to put it in a poetic sense, the one who he loved so dearly, so deeply... Randy, who was fire and light and warmth and beauty all at once, with a radiance and spark that seemed unable to die out. He loved Randy. And Randy **loved him back!**

He was never going to get tired of thinking that, now.

"Wow... wow. I--" A more genuine laugh bubbled up out of him, brighter than anything he'd ever heard from himself before. "--I don't know what to say?! What _do_ I even..."

Just kiss him, you dork.

Randy watched Terrence go through the motions, his heart continued to race, it full of indescribable cheer. He was quiet as he wasn’t sure what to say, to be honest, he’d never done this before, he wasn’t well versed with romance and love, but he wanted to do things right.

Seeing a few tears of joy slip, Randy went to cup Terrence’s face with his free hand, his hand brushing against his stubble. He used his thumb to rub away the tears Terrence didn’t get to. He continued to watch him quietly, his expression going soft when Terrence laughed, a warm smile on his face. It was nice to see Terrence so happy, it was a rare sight, but he hoped it’d become more common.

When Terrence asked the question to himself, Randy himself had an answer, he wasn’t sure if it was too forward or not, but he hoped Terrence had the same answer in mind. He leaned forward, using his other hand that held Terrence’s as support as he looked deeply into his eyes, a deep blush on his face as he realized how forward he was, and what was happening. “Bro- Terrence... Just kiss me...” He requested, his eye contact breaking as he waited for his response.

It was funny, how these things seemed to turn out. Terrence had never been one for mushy, sappy romance, had deemed it all a myth, all just the nonsense of people who just couldn't keep their mind on what was actually important... but here he was, melting at the slightest touches, at the feeling of Randy's hand against his cheek. He felt like he was floating, flying, soaring like a bird through cloudless skies, given the gift of freedom and true peace for the first time. He wanted this moment to last forever, to stay here and to just... look at Randy, be here with him, and just... wow.

If he had been anywhere else, anywhen else, he might've laughed at Randy's words. It was such a very Randy thing to say, even in a moment like this. But Terrence was right here, and they were both so close, and... who was he to deny such a reasonable request? He tilted his head slightly and closed his eyes as he leaned in, lifting his other arm to fully embrace Randy as... finally, he kissed him.

Randy had tilted his head the other way, closing his eyes as he felt his lips connect with Terrence’s. It was only a moment, but it felt like forever. He was surprised it happened, that he was kissing Terrence. 

Slowly pulling away from the other man, he opened his eyes to look over at Terrence. Going to speak, his words began to fail him, he was quite overwhelmed with conflicting emotions, nervousness and joy. He felt awkward and nervous with kissing, the happiness he felt overshadowed his nerves greatly, but alas he still gave a nervous laugh. 

He moved his hand away from Terrence’s face, pushing back his hair again as he tried to collect his thoughts and words, what was he even supposed to say after kissing someone. 

He could say something witty or stupid or soft or charming or- He was taking too long. “...Epic.” Was the first thing that came to mind, his pink cheeks turned a deep red as he realized how much of a disaster he was being, even if he was speaking nonsense he had a sense of confidence to him, but now he was just an embarrassed mess, giving another chuckle as he was basically laughing at himself in front of Terrence.

Terrence cracked up laughing, moving to wrap his arms back around the other man so he could just hug Randy tight-- still being careful with the injured leg, of course. "You're amazing. You're so amazing." He mumbled, trying to hide how absolutely flustered he was from all this. All of this was so new, so fresh, so beautiful, and... even if he wasn't sure what was going to happen next, or where any of this would take them... he was okay with that. 

He didn't linger for that long, pulling back from the sudden embrace, staring at Randy with a dumb smile on his face as he sighed. "I really should let you get some rest, though." There was a twinge of disappointment in his voice-- he didn't want to let go of this moment.

Randy was so incredibly flustered at this rate and it was obvious, his chill guy persona beyond him. “Aw Terry—-“ He tried to protest but gave up as he just let the other compliment him. However, his disappointment was immeasurable ~~and his day was ruined~~ when Terrence moved away. 

Listening to him, he gave a small sigh. “I’ll be fine Terre, I promise—“ He murmured, all of this had made him forget about his injury and just how exhausted he might’ve been. “C’mon we can just chill—“ Randy wanted to spend more time with him, even if it was just chatting or something, despite the fact now that his rush of embarrassment was over, fatigue was slowly taking its place. He lazily embraced Terrence, wanting to stay near him.

What he wouldn't give to just lay here with Randy, enjoying the moment for as long as it could last... but one of them had to be responsible, even if just a little bit. "You really need your rest, so you can get all healed up sooner..." Terrence paused, sighing. "I still don't want you walking for a while, so here, let me pick you back up again, I'll carry you to bed." It was a subtle difference, the way he asked this time, but it was still there. 

He still didn't wait for an answer, gently shifting so he could lift Randy back into his arms, keeping him supported properly as to not put too much pressure on the wounded leg. "I'll make sure to visit you as much as you want until you're back up and running again, and... we can figure out how we'll break things to the clan if you are out of commission for more than what's reasonable--" Crossing over to the bed, he gently lowered Randy back down, pulling away and giving a soft smile. "--we'll make it through this. Together."

Randy mostly stayed quiet during the exchange, not wanting to talk over Terrence as he listened to him for once. Leaning against him as he was lifted, he continued to listen to the other. He was so... Not worried, but thoughtful, Terrence thought about him and cared for him greatly. It wasn’t a new side to him, Terrence had always been considerate of Randy, seeing his status of his right hand, but it seemed more loving, more soft now. He was seeing a more gentle side of Terrence.

Being placed on the bed, Randy gave a long sigh, but nodded. Looking back at Terrence with a smile also. “I’m sure I’ll be back in action no time— But it’s nice to know you’ve got me covered Terry—“ Randy murmured, he wasn’t a fan of depending on others, but Terrence’s words about working throughout things together meant a lot. “You should go pass out also, today was pretty damn rough-“ He gave an awkward laugh, continuing to look over at Terrence.

"Today was stressful, I will admit-- but... it was nice, getting to spend time with you." Terrence murmured, like it was a secret for just the two of them. Tomorrow would be something new, tomorrow would bring its own obstacles, and tomorrow would hold all the unknowns that every day held. But today had been nice, for a few very important reasons.

He leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to Randy's forehead, before finally leaning away and getting ready to head out. "Have a good night, okay?" Despite having the same slightly stern demeanor he always had, there was something softer to his voice, a fondness that had never really been able to manifest before. "I love you."

With that, Terrence turned and left, a decidedly different man than he was when he entered.

“I love you too—“ Randy managed to muster before Terrence had left, his cheeks tinged red once more as he was not used to the affection. The strange warm feeling of being kissed, and the soft fuzzy feeling the words ‘i love you’ brought. He looked over at the door for a moment, almost expecting Terrence to return, but alas the room stayed quiet.

The silence felt wrong, he wanted there to be another presence in the room. He wanted Terrence to be there, perhaps he had fallen too hard for the first confessions, but how could he not, he had been with Terrence for so long, the feelings were mutual and it was just, such a beautiful feeling. But he really did have an injury to heal, they could be sappy once he’s back on his feet.

Randy continued to stay quiet, pressing a hand over his lips as he thought about everything that happened again, he couldn’t stop replaying the events in his mind, he already felt embarrassed that he said ‘epic’ after his first kiss, but he couldn’t take that back. He could look forward to a lot of things though, both good and bad.   
He wasn’t sure how things were going to play out, he still had to deal with the injury and get the morale of the clan back up. He would have to figure out plans for so much stuff. And with everything that just happened, he hadn’t been in a relationship before, he wasn’t sure how or who’d he’d break it too— Wait- Were they even together? They confessed, but they never officially said anything? 

He gave a long sigh as he pushed back his hair once more, staring up at the ceiling as he thought about it all.

“Aw geez.”  
This was a lot.  
But he’d figure it out, especially with Terrence by his side.

**Author's Note:**

> "bitches see two background characters that could be shipped together and say 'anyone gonna project on them' and don't wait for an answer  
> we're bitches" - CyberPhoenix
> 
> "hello ao3 community rave is real, we made it real.. terrence should just kiss randy and be rlly soft and nice around him, we r right, thanks for coming to our psa" - Slink_a_Dink
> 
> Check us both out on Tumblr, @hemlock-up-my-heart and @slink-a-dink


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